Cricket Habitat in the Tank

[Peter]

Hello Everyone.

We have a male leapord gecko housed in a 10 gallon tank. I was at our local pet shop purchasing our weekly supply of crickets when I ran into a fellow reptile owner who suggested a rather unique method of storing crickets - in the tank. Basically, drill dozens of holes into an old log or piece of driftwood for the crickets to hide in. Sprinkle some cricket food on the log and mist it with water now and again. Perhaps place an apple or carrot near the log for extra food. Once all of this is in place. dump a week or two supply of crickets in the tank and let nature take its course. I was thinking this might be fun for our gecko as hunting for crickets would be a bit more challenging. Thoughts? Warnings?

Peter

 

[MichaelJ]

I wouldn't do it not only because i think crickets are nasty little vermin LOL (although I still have some that will only eat them)

But you don't want to leave crickets in the enclosure for more than hour, they can munch on the Leo's toes, eat the leo's feces and pass on parasites, defecate in his water; annoy the Leo and you if they chirp all night long; and if you put a supply of in their you're going to have a lot of dead ones and crickets feces which can be an easy way to spread parasites; and even get carion flys which feed on dead crickets and can spread disease.

Plus they'll stink somethin' awful!

 

[ShaffersExoticHerps]

Yes. I agree with Michael. It may be OK to do something like that with an older Bearded Dragon (something that eats 30-50 at a time), but I would not suggest doing it with leos.

 

[Lyndsey]

DO NOT house the crickets in the leo tank! That's the dumbest idea I've ever heard lol

Crickets are gross and annoying

 

[KiKi]

you dont want to do that because it will stress your leo out besides the parasite issue,crickets tend to eat leo poop,they are dirty noisy creatures

 

[[Username]]

I do something similar but I only put like 6-8 in at a time and they have food and water gel w/calcium in the viv and they never bother my leo or poo in his water and rarely die, but they are eaten by day 2 thats when I clean up and feed more. The reason I do this is I never know how much he wants and some escape him (In the big cave I made outta rocks) so I add extra that way when he gets hungry the next day he's got food.Honestly I think hunting keeps him in good shape and he still gains 5-6 grams in a month but he's not a fattie or has he lost any toes lol.

 

[ReptileMan27]

Like said above, never leave uneaten food in the cage, it can stress the lizard and cricks have been known to chew off toes.

 

[Lyndsey]

I do something similar but I only put like 6-8 in at a time and they have food and water gel w/calcium in the viv and they never bother my leo or poo in his water and rarely die, but they are eaten by day 2 thats when I clean up and feed more. The reason I do this is I never know how much he wants and some escape him (In the big cave I made outta rocks) so I add extra that way when he gets hungry the next day he's got food.Honestly I think hunting keeps him in good shape and he still gains 5-6 grams in a month but he's not a fattie or has he lost any toes lol.

How do you know they don't bother him? Do you watch them at all times?

If you never know how much he wants...then just offer him food more often. If he eats, he wants it...if he doesn't take the crix out and try again later.

Just like sand...why do something that could possibly harm/bother your leo?